Will damaged wildflowers recover in natural burial grounds?

Coneflowers, a favorite plant in many meadow gardens, is very hardy and easily recovers from accidental uprooting if gently reburied in the soil.

Coneflowers, a favorite plant in many meadow gardens, is very hardy and easily recovers from accidental uprooting if gently reburied in the soil. (FRAN KITTEK, SPECIAL TO THE MORNING CALL)

Columnist has good news for reader: “Wildflowers are quite resilient.”

Q: Two and a half years ago, our son Pat Ytsma was [on a bike when he was] run over and killed by a distracted motorist.

In early July, his wildflower-covered grave in the natural burial grounds was run over by a ditch-digging truck, used to make a new grave.

Pat's grave is ruined. Some roots are still there. The plants there were daisies, some yellow small flowers, bee balm and pink coneflowers. Do you think some plants will be able to survive? Pat's grave now is a hole in a wall of flowers. ... I hope the plants are hardy enough to come back.

—Itie Ytsma, Bethlehem

A: I am so sorry for Itie and Bill's loss and for the added pain that this incident has caused them. Fortunately, wildflowers are quite resilient. If the ground is not too compressed and the roots are resettled in the soil, there is an excellent chance that the flowers will recover.

I also spoke to Ed Vogrins of Green Meadow (www.greenmeadowpa.org), a green cemetery located in the Fountain Hill Cemetery. Green burials seek to return the body to nature. Embalming, vaults and grave liners are not permitted. All burial materials must be biodegradable and grave markers are simple, local stone and flush on the ground.

Ed says that they totally sympathize with Itie and no longer use that grave digger — they only used him once. The area has been replanted with other meadow plants, and they will be giving Pat's grave extra attention to make sure that the flowers are re-established. If the flowers don't come back in the spring, let me know.

Gnat in houseplants

Q: Do you have a remedy to get rid of gnats? I have lots of houseplants and I have plenty of gnats. I have tried everything possible starting with apple cider and soap: Malathion (bad idea since the smell is way too strong for inside), Fungicide 3, Natria, and just recently started using Neem Oil, an extract; however, nothing works. It drives me crazy. I love my plants but sometimes I just want to get rid of them. If you have a solution to the problem, please share.

—Carlos

A: Sometimes the simplest solution is the best. Gnats around houseplants are generally fungus gnats, attracted to the moist soil in the containers, a home for the fungus and algae they love to eat. There are a few mechanical solutions that you don't seem to have tried yet:

• Avoid overwatering, allow the soil to dry out between soakings and remove any excess water from the drainage saucers.

• Yellow sticky traps placed horizontally over the soil will help by intercepting the females as they approach to lay eggs in the soil.

• Covering the top of the soil with a layer of gravel will also restrict egg laying and reduce surface fungus and algae.

Fair days

The 162nd Great Allentown Fair (www.allentownfairpa.org) runs Tuesday through Sept. 1, at 17th to 21st streets and Liberty and Chew streets in Allentown. Conceived in 1852, the fair continues to showcase agriculture, horticulture and livestock. Please take time from the shows, rides and food to visit the Agri-Plex to see what your neighbors have grown and made. Check out the 4-H exhibits, the adult competition classes as well as cooking demonstrations, baking contests and much more. The livestock and poultry exhibits fascinate both children and adults and should be part of any fair visit.

In the Garden

I've noticed that the deer are much bolder this year. Usually, anything near the house is relatively safe but they've been feasting on the hostas and munching the daylilies they previously ignored. This morning there was a doe and a fawn, still spotted, breakfasting on the giant hostas. The area is steep and fairly close to the house but they didn't even stop chewing when I came out on the deck. Only after I yelled and waved my arms did they casually stroll back into the woods.

I'm enjoying the beautiful white blooms of "Little Lamb" hydrangea, a Hydrangea paniculata, and one of the most winter-hardy ones. In our yard, it is the only hydrangea that blooms on new wood that actually didn't die back this winter. The others, those lovely lacecaps and mopheads, all died back to the ground. They did grow back, but no blooms this year.